


The Continued Adventures of Spectacular Man!

by terryreviews



Series: Hatter and Hare [4]
Category: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 01:55:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18273437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/terryreviews/pseuds/terryreviews
Summary: It'd been over a year since Hatter had donned his cape and cowl as Spectacular Man. He'd never revealed that secret to anyone. And while he was pretty good at keeping secrets, this one, in particular, felt wrong to hold inside. At least, when it came to Hare.





	The Continued Adventures of Spectacular Man!

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is for a specific show "Adventures in Wonderland" that aired on Disney Channel back in the 90s. Included are pictures for the characters in question and as of the publication of this story, this show (and this specific episode "Spectacular Man") is on youtube for viewing. In the episode, Hatter becomes a superhero and has all sorts of hijinks related to it. I wanted to explore that bit of zaniness and a bit of romance for my OTP of this obscure little show.

**(I tried to find a picture of him in the actual costume for Spectacular Man, but I have to settle for him in his attic when he found the star)**

 (There arne't that many great pictures of Hare. At least, not very well sized ones) 

 

 

 

With an audible gulp, Hatter knocked back his eighth tea. The remains of the sugar formed a thick, overly sweet sludge at the bottom of his cup that he had to lick from his lips. He really should switch cups, but he needed the sugar. Wake him up, fortify his nerves.

 

He pulled out the massive, two bell alarm clock he kept under the tea table. Five minutes to four. Almost tea time.

 

He poured another cup and barely stirred it before knocking it back. On a small plate, he kept picking up and putting down a crumpet, never bringing it to his mouth. The butterflies in his stomach wouldn't like a crumpet.

 

Between them, Hatter and Hare had few secrets. There was never a need for secrets. Well, maybe a few, Hatter thought to himself, but mostly no. They liked each other, trusted each other, did everything together. For the most part, there wasn't a need to keep secrets.

 

However, since last year, Hatter had kept a pretty sizable secret all to himself. At first it was easy, necessary even, to keep it all to himself. After all, at the time, he was a literal superhero. Super powers and cape, the whole nine yards. He needed a secret identity and he never revealed, then or now, the fact that he was Spectacular Man.

 

He kept the costume. Buried at the bottom of his dresser in his bedroom, as opposed to being kept in the attic where most of his costumes were kept. Too much chance of it being discovered, what with how many parties thrown and guests he had going in and out of the place. And while he was confident in his ability to charm and or lie his way out of the situation, he'd rather not have to.

 

Yet, a year later (to the day he gave back the shooting star that had given him his powers), here he was wanting to at least tell _someone_. Who better than his absolute best friend, Hare?

 

Three minutes, and he could hear Hare's voice, singing some wordless diddy, drawing closer. Soon, from around the corner, Hare came into view. Well, his ears did, around the brim of his house hat, and then his face and full body.

 

“Hi Hare!”

 

Hare beamed,“Hi Hatter!” He opened the gate and went to an available chair at the head of the table.

 

Before Hare could even reach for a cup, Hatter held out his hand, “I've got it!”

 

He missed the cup several times, coating the cup and the table cloth under it with light brown stains. Thankfully, messiness was the norm, or Hare might've noticed his shaking hands.

 

“The sugar cubes are next to you,” Hatter pointed, while he took up the creamer.

 

“Would you look at that!” In Hare's hand, he held three, perfectly sculpted flamingos.

 

“Oh, yeah,” Hatter coughed, careful to match the creamer's spout to Hare's cup, “it'd been a while since I'd sculpted the sugar cubes.”

 

“You haven't lost your touch,” Hare rotated his hand so he could study the little creatures.

 

“Thanks. I can sculpt other animals if you'd like?”

 

“Maybe next time,” Hare accepted his cup, plopping the sweet flamingos into the liquid and plucked a spoon from his jacket when he couldn't find one on the table.

 

That's his Hare, Hatter thought, always carries whatever he needs. It was one of his best traits.

 

Hare lifted his cup to his lips, and before he could sip, “your elbow is in a donut,” he said.

 

Hatter, who'd been resting his chin in his hand, just watching Hare, blinked, “Hmm...oh!” Sure enough, when he lifted his arm, custard and frosting clung to his sleeve.

 

“Darn,” he rolled his eyes, took off his jacket and tossed it into the chair next to him. He'd scrub it in the kitchen sink later.

 

“Don't worry, you'll be able to get it out. Remember that custom stain remover we made last month to get the grass stains out of my pants?”

 

He smiled, thinking back to that afternoon. Hare had come for tea time, stayed until seven. They poured, stirred, and boiled, until they had the perfect stain remover. It'd been Hare's idea, he'd slipped and fallen, leaving a massive grass stain on the seat of his pants. It had been a nice day. They had their tea and snacks, played music as they worked, and after the stain remover was tested, they even practiced their dancing. Got quite good at it.

 

“I do. I even remembered to write the recipe down this time.”

 

“Excellent! We'll have to make a new batch soon.” Hare went back to his tea and began to butter a crumpet.

 

“Righty roo.”

 

As time moved forward, they had their tea, Hatter's nerves rose and fell as he waited for the opportune moment.

 

“Hare,” He finally said, on his fifteenth cup of tea, “I have a surprise for you.”

 

“For me?”

 

“Yeah, it's in the house. Come in, and I'll show you.” Hatter did his best to keep his face straight as the anticipation bubbled in his belly.

 

“Wait in the library, I'll be there in a bit.” He gestured towards the room in question and Hare obliged.

 

When Hare was out of sight, Hatter moved down the hall to his bedroom.

 

He never intended to wear it again. It was kept at the bottom of his dresser beneath a copious amount of purple socks. There was always too much traffic in and out of his attic. Too risky hiding it there. Hare alone visited practically every day.

 

He ran a hand over the emblem on the chest as he pulled it free from its hiding place. With a breath, he turned and headed back to his library where Hare was sitting in his easy chair.

 

When Hatter rounded the chair, Hare lifted his eyes.

 

“So, what's the surprise?” He asked. While he tried to act cool, Hatter noticed the little squirm of anticipation.

 

“It's...” Hatter stopped, taking a big breath, “we've been friends for years.”

 

Hare leaned forward, waiting for Hatter to collect himself.

 

“And we don't really keep secrets from each other.”

 

Hare's nose crinkled, worry settling in his eyes.

 

“Hatter, if you're worried about whatever you're going to tell me, don't,” he reached out, clasping Hatter's forearm gently, “we're friends. No matter what. I promise I won't get mad or anything. You can trust me pal.”

 

Hatter's eyes began to sting, vision wobbling, and he turned his face into his shoulder and blindly shoved the bundled costume into Hare's hands.

 

“Here, here's my secret. I couldn't share it with anyone but you.” He turned his back on Hare, not wanting to see his reaction. “But, I wasn't sure how you'd react. Mad that I didn't tell you? Disappointed to learn the truth? But, I've always want to tell you Hare. No one else.”

 

The squeak of the chair, the shifting of Hare, the snap of the costume unfurrled, all loud to Hatter's ears, flinching at each noise.

 

He'd braced for gasps, shouts, maybe tears. He whiped around when he heard laughter.

 

Hare held the costume at arm's length, big smile on his face.

 

“What's so funny?”

 

“Oh Hatter, you had me so worried. I thought this was serious.”

 

Hatter stood mute and Hare continued.

 

“Turns out you're just a big fan of Spectacular Man. Hey, nothing to be ashamed of. He _was_ pretty Spectacular. And if you like dressing up in his costume, there's nothing wrong with that.”

 

It took Hatter a moment to wipe his eyes and try again.

 

“No, Hare, that's not it. I...I know Spectacular Man's secret identity. That,” he nodded at the outfit, “is his real costume.”

 

Hare's eyes widened.

 

“You mean to tell me that this,” he shook the costume in his hands, “isn't some fan replica?”

 

Hatter shook his head.

 

“So,” Hatter's heart began to beat as he watched Hare process, “so you know who Spectacular Man was. And you made this costume?”

 

Hatter barely nodded, his whole body tensing.

 

“Were you Spectacular Man's tailor?”

 

Hatter nearly fell down, “noooo,” he straightened, “I was Spectacular Man!”

 

Hare's jaw dropped, “no.”

 

“Yes.”

 

There was a lengthy pause as Hare looked at his best friend up and down, skeptic eyebrow quirked.

 

“I don't believe it.”

 

Hatter covered his heart, wounded.

 

“I'm telling you Hare, I _was_ Spectacular Man!”

 

“Then what happened to your powers?”

 

“I gave them back.”

 

At Hare's expression, Hatter's pitch went up, “I'm telling the truth.”

 

“Prove it.”

 

“How?”

 

Hare held up the suit, “there was only one man that looked good in this costume. I'll never forget that profile. Put it on and pose just like Spectacular Man.”

 

–

 

“Darn,” Hatter muttered, tugging at the stretchy material. When he had his powers, it'd been really easy to put on the body suit. He just, sort of, spun around and it was on.

 

As it was, he fell over twice and had to move to his beg. Wiggling and pulling the one piece onto his legs, past his hips, chest, arms, and then, tucking in his hair, the cowl. As he stood, adjusting to the clinginess, there was a moment where he felt powerful again. Despite the fact that the mask was itchier than he remembered.

 

He returned to the living room where Hare had, once again, waited. This time however, he was more prepared, sat on the edge of the chair, hands balled up in his lap, buck teeth worrying his bottom lip.

 

Hare lifted his chin once Hatter was in sight and Hatter felt his throat bob. Soundless, he came to stand in front of his frined.

 

Back straight, chest puffed out, he put a fist onto each hip and said,

 

“I am Spectacular Man,” in that deeper, slower tone he used to use to hide his identity.

 

“It really is you,” Hare whispered.

 

“Yeah,” Hatter dropped the fake voice, “it's me.”

 

Hare got up and slowly circled his friend, eyes drinking in the details. When he was back in front o him, he had an almost fond smile,

 

“I should have known it was you.”

 

“Why?”

 

Hare ran his fingers along Hatter's right arm.

 

“Who else wears so much purple?”

 

They both promptly cracked up and around his giggles Hatter said, “how true that is.”

 

“I have a question,” Hare said once they laughed themselves out, “how'd you get your powers?”

 

“Do you remember that night we stayed up really late reading comic books and we fell asleep in my attic?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Well, when we woke up, and you went home, I went to the window and said how great it would be to be a superhero. And a shooting star fell through the window giving me powers.”

 

“At least you didn't get bit by anything. Less painful.”

 

“And more sanitary.”

 

There was a long pause before Hare surprised Hatter by taking each of his hands in his own. Hatter's face grew warm as Hare pressed forward, the shorter man looking into his eyes.

 

Quietly, Hare said, “you know. I've always had a thing for superheros.” He stood up on his tip toes.

 

Unthinking, Hatter closed the distance and their lips met in a chaste kiss. Only inhibited slightly by Hare's teeth, which bumped against Hatter's bottom lip.

 

“Well,” he said, blinking down at Hare, heart racing, face warm, body tingling.

 

“Well,” Hare repeated, cheeks rosy, eyes lidded.

 

“I think I'm going to go change,” Hatter said, before leaning down and kissing Hare again, “and then we can resume our tea party. We have that thing at the palace later today, so we can't get too worked up.”

 

“Logical,” Hare replied, breathlessly, “as long as we come back here after.”

 

“Indeedy doo. You'll have to spend the night.”

 

“Of course,” Hare readily nodded.

 

Later on, during the Queen's unveiling of some painting of her or another, no one commented on Hare and Hatter's holding hands. Aside from Dormouse with an “about time.”

 

 


End file.
